Welcome to Salk Central, our first newsletter for friends of the Salk. Every month, you'll receive a quick digest of news about our groundbreaking discoveries and their impact on human health, as well as introductions to our scientists, supporters and staff. We'll also bring you advance notice of upcoming events at the Institute, such as April's Step Into Discovery day and the first ever 5K Walk for Salk. Finally, as a special feature, every issue we'll include a Question of the Month brain-teaser. Don't worry, even we find them tough!

We hope you enjoy this new offering and look forward to your comments and suggestions.

Yours in Discovery,

Scientific Vision and Impact Thanks to advances in imaging, genomics, stem cells, computational analysis and disease modeling, biomedical science is progressing far faster than even just a decade ago. Here at Salk, we know those breakthroughs hold tremendous promise for producing new therapies and for helping to address the crisis in healthcare as the population ages and the burden of chronic disease grows.

Unfortunately, this knowledge is accruing just as federal funding for biomedical research is being reduced. To ensure this vital work takes place, we've launched the first-ever Campaign for Salk, a $300 million fundraising campaign that focuses on four major initiatives for human health: Cancer, Genomic Medicine, Healthy Aging and Dynamic Brain.

We're happy to share that the campaign is off to a very promising start. Even before the public launch, we had received $150 million from our generous contributors. Within weeks of the launch in January, we announced an additional award of $42 million from the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust to establish the Helmsley Center for Genomic Medicine, which brings together scientists working in computational biology, cancer, inflammation, metabolic disease and regenerative medicine to research chronic diseases and develop new therapies.

The Helmsley Center represents the largest single gift in our history and one of the largest ever to an independent research institution. "Thanks to the Helmsley Charitable Trust and donations from a number of generous supporters, we are off to a great start in revolutionizing how science is conducted at Salk," says President William R. Brody, "That's what the Campaign for Salk is all about."

Friends of Salk In the upcoming March issue of Inside Salk, Salk Board of Trustees member Daniel C. Lewis talks to us about why he values the Institute. Mr. Lewis was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia in 2004. He is one of the many people that benefited from a key discovery made by Salk scientist, Tony Hunter, which led to the development of the therapeutic Gleevec. We're grateful to Mr. Lewis for sharing his unique perspective on the Institute, the Campaign for Salk and its promise for impacting human health...

News

In January, prize-winning pianist Karen Joy Davis performed a selection of classical compositions in the first-ever public concert in the Salk auditorium. Her instrument was "191," the world-famous Steinway grand piano that was recently donated to the Institute by Salk trustee Conrad Prebys. We were all delightfully surprised when she was joined for two pieces by special guest artist, Salk President William R. Brody.

Our ongoing Women & Science program provides a dynamic and vibrant forum for which community and business leaders and Salk's women of science gather as friends, entrepreneurs and researchers to discuss the latest discoveries in science and technology. Our goal is to inspire more women to embrace scientific research as a focus of personal and philanthropic interest.

Joe Ecker and Joe Noel have been named 2012 Fellows by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), one of the highest honors in science. They are among the 702 new members that were acknowledged during the AAAS annual meeting in Boston on February 16, 2013.